How the Cardinals Can Shock the 49ers in Week 11

Can the Arizona Cardinals upset the 49ers in Week 11? Explore the keys to victory, including Michael Wilson stepping up, Cody Simon’s defensive leadership, and Jonathan Gannon’s aggressive game plan.

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) celebrates with wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals need to turn things around. Fast.

Their next opportunity comes at State Farm Stadium in Week 11 as the San Francisco 49ers stroll into town.

Arizona lost their previous matchup against San Francisco back in Week 3.

How can the Cardinals upset San Francisco and keep themselves alive in the race for a wild card berth?

READ: How to Watch, Stream Cardinals vs 49ers

1. Michael Wilson Takes Next Step

With Marvin Harrison Jr. out today and Trey McBride drawing hefty attention, the Cardinals absolutely need a big game from Michael Wilson as their new WR1.

The good news? Wilson has made the most of every opportunity this season, though they've been slim.

Arizona will likely go through the air early and often with their running game still dragging behind. Wilson has seen some more attention with Jacoby Brissett under center - can that newfound trust pay dividends?

The rest of Arizona's season just might depend on it.

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2. Cody Simon Wins The Chess Match

The Cardinals are down starting inside linebacker Mack Wilson, and thus fourth-round rookie Cody Simon will anchor Arizona's defense moving forward.

Simon is now responsible for the green dot, which relays the defensive play-calls from the headset to players on the field. The Cardinals will also need Simon to make the proper adjustments before the ball is snapped.

With the radio communication cutting off with 15 seconds left on the play clock, the Ohio State product is effectively set for a chess match against 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.

The 49ers' offense is one of the best in the league when it comes to pre-snap motion and disguise, so Simon absolutely needs to be on his game today to ensure Arizona isn't falling behind before the ball is even snapped.

READ: Cardinals Get Final Call on RB vs 49ers

3. Jonathan Gannon Gets - And Stays - Aggressive

The Cardinals find themselves in a spot where they're beginning to enter must-win territory to avoid mathematical elimination from the postseason.

The 49ers are getting healthy as the second half of the season progresses, and the Cardinals are trending the opposite direction.

Arizona - until last week - had been a few plays away from winning each game. While the 49ers aren't expected to blow the doors off Arizona, the Cardinals are clearly expected to lose.

Jonathan Gannon not only needs to start aggressive today, he needs to keep his foot on the gas.

Offensively, the Cardinals need to be adaptable and stick to what's working. Arizona can't be afraid to disrupt their run/pass balance, especially before San Francisco gets a potential lead and forces the Cardinals into obvious passing scenarios.

Defensively, Arizona blitzes the quarterback just 20% of the time, which ranks near the bottom of the league. The Cardinals haven't been able to reach the quarterback with just 18 sacks thus far, and Gannon simply should not sit back and allow San Francisco to dictate things offensively.

Shanahan has earned the respect he's commanded across the league - but the Cardinals can't sit on their heels. If they're going down, they need to go down swinging.